It has been recognized that an advantage is obtained in deer hunting by occupying a position above the ground and by preventing deer from sensing any motion of a hunter. Such a position avoids the deer's vision, sense of smell and highly developed ability to detect motion. The problem of avoiding discovery by deer was approached by constructing permanent tree stands or blinds, with the obvious disadvantage that the hunter was confined to a single location. Also, attempts were made to provide portable platforms for temporary mounting in trees at an appropriate height. Some such portable devices must be strapped to the tree trunk, and access is gained to them by attaching a portable ladder device to the tree. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,808. Installation of such a device is complicated and time consuming, and its several components are not conveniently carried about from tree to tree. Furthermore, the devices are potentially unsafe because of the unsure nature of the attachment of the platform to the tree.
Another type of portable device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,111. The device includes a horizontal platform intended to bite into the tree at the inner edge thereof, and an angularly disposed frame that extends upwardly from the outer edge of the platform around the tree at a position above the platform. The weight of the person on the platform is intended to create a lever action to hold the device on the tree trunk. However, such devices have been known to fall out of trees with persons on them because they are not designed to use the weight of the person to maximum advantage in causing the device to bite into the tree. Also, the platform provided is small and hard, and therefore a person standing or sitting thereon soon becomes restless and cannot remain motionless. This lack of comfort is critical because once the hunter begins to move even slightly, the advantage of his elevated position will be largely lost.